RIVAL managers Eddie Howe and Mick McCarthy had a difference of opinion over a hotly-disputed penalty call during Cherries’ 2-2 draw with Ipswich at Dean Court on Saturday.

Cherries boss Howe was adamant referee Michael Bull should have pointed to the spot after Tokelo Rantie had been sent sprawling by a combination of Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith.

However, opposite number McCarthy begged to differ and also claimed Rantie should have been flagged offside in the lead up to the second-half flashpoint.

Howe said: “I have seen it again and we felt it was a clear-cut penalty. Tokelo stepped in between two players and was brought down by a player in a blue shirt.

“I couldn’t understand why the referee didn’t give it. I was very surprised he didn’t point to the spot because he was in a decent position and had a good look at it.

“I don’t think players decide they are going to bring someone down but with the speed that Tokelo was running and his low centre of gravity, nature took its course, he found a leg and went down.”

Rantie sustained a suspected dislocated shoulder when he fell awkwardly following the challenge and was wearing an oxygen mask as he was stretchered off.

Fielding a question put by the Daily Echo at his post-match press conference, McCarthy said: “I have seen it and it was nowhere near a penalty. Not a chance.

“And besides which, he was about 10 yards offside. The goalkeeper kicked it, he ran back and got the ball but we didn’t get the decision.

"You can all have a look at it and you can email me at the club if you think I am a liar. I am not rose-coloured specs at all and, if I thought it should have been a penalty, I would say it was but it wasn’t.

“But of course, the crowd were desperate for it. They want to win, they want to get promoted and everybody was up in arms about it. It should have been offside and then there wouldn’t have been an injury or anything else.”

Ipswich twice fought back after going behind with Teddy Bishop cancelling out Yann Kermorgant’s stunning opener for Cherries before Daryl Murphy’s header earned the visitors a point after Matt Ritchie had restored the hosts’ lead.

Howe added: “We had some very good chances to add to our lead. Credit to Ipswich, they dug in and came away with something from a game that perhaps they didn’t deserve.

“I could not have been more pleased with my team and the standard of football we played. Our quality in the final third was probably as good as it had been all season.

“We opened them up countless times and all that was missing was taking our chances because we had enough to win the game comfortably. That was as good as we had played all season, we just didn’t get the result to match.”